Astronaut VR Experience Thrills Visitors At Negeri Sembilan PMR

NILAI, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Visitors to the Negeri Sembilan edition of the MADANI Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025 were thrilled to experience a unique virtual journey into space through Virtual Reality (VR) technology at the Planet VR booth by the National Planetarium at Dataran Nilai here.

Most visitors, especially children, described the simulation as an opportunity to feel as if they were beyond Earth, with visuals and special effects that appeared almost real.

Mohd Haziq Mohd Sukri, seven, who came with his family from Port Dickson, said he was excited to be able to try a new experience of travelling into space virtually, something he had never experienced before.

“It’s amazing. I’ve only seen space in books or on TV, but here, it feels real, like I’m right in front of the planets. Without this programme, I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to feel what it’s like to be an astronaut,” he told Bernama today.

Similarly, Ahmad Tsaqif Ahmad Faiz, nine, said the VR experience had sparked his curiosity about stars and planets, motivating him to learn more about them in school.

Civil servant Jamalia Mat Radin, 44, praised the initiative for giving children early exposure to astronomy an enjoyable and engaging way.

“It’s not only fun but also valuable, as it encourages children, and society in general, to develop an interest in science and technology. It was really interesting, and I tried it myself too,” she said.

National Planetarium assistant science officer Norakma Mohamed said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (MOSTI) initiative, themed ‘From Earth to Universe’, provided the public with the opportunity to explore space through VR applications.

“Astronomy and space science can be quite complex, so we use VR to bring the experience directly to visitors. They get the chance to become astronauts and experience outer space firsthand,” she said.

She added that the initiative also aimed to ignite young people’s interest in astronomy while making science more accessible and interactive for the public.

The Negeri Sembilan PMR, which began on Friday, features a range of exciting activities aimed at bringing the people closer to government agencies.

The programme, themed ‘Digital Across Generations, Empowering Communities’, is spearheaded by the Ministry of Digital in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) through the Performance Acceleration Coordination Unit (PACU), with the Negeri Sembilan state government as the host.

-- BERNAMA